Bad Boy Better Run (Clato)

Chapter Sixteen: Another Point to the Girl on Fire

Author's Note: Hey guys...it's been almost two WHOLE MONTHS! Wow. Anyway, how many of you have seen Catching Fire? I can't believe it came out almost two whole weeks ago. I've seen it twice and I just can't get enough of it. It's absolutely fantastic, so if you haven't seen it, GO SEE IT RIGHT NOW. Okay, seeing as I'm having trouble trying to decide whether to let certain people live or not...muahaha. I've got the general idea of the ending already. Please don't hate me.

~

We hadn't gotten a tribute in days. Try understanding how frustrating it is. Honestly, Cato and I, and, I guess Marvel included...we're supposed to be the best. Yet, all we've managed to do is...nothing. Deep down, I quite enjoyed it. The peace and quiet for once, I mean. However, it was slowly starting to dawn on me that if we didn't move quickly, the gamemakers would, ah, pull a random card on us, if you will. That's what they always did, every year. Tributes not doing anything productive? Easy, just send in some mutts to spice things up a bit. Not enough people dying? Get them together somehow.

Cato was on edge. That I knew for sure. He'd pace around our camp - not near the large pile of numerous supplies, of course...they mines that Three had reactivated were planted around there, if you've forgotten. One step too close and you're dead. Anyway, Cato. I'd suspected he had started getting a little...bored since yesterday afternoon. Why he hadn't decided to search for that Girl on Fire and take her down already, I have no idea.

"Hey, " Marvel suddenly said, pointing with his spear towards the trees. "Look! Over there!"

I shaded my eyes from the sun with my hand and cast my gaze to where he was pointing. There was light gray smoke billowing over the tops of the trees. I looked over at Cato, and he had the expression of a little boy on Christmas morning. Simply ecstatic.

We all laughed, joyed that we'd finally get a kill today, and took off running in the direction of the smoke, while Cato barked orders over his shoulder, telling District Three to stay and guard our supplies.

Quickly approaching the cause of the smoke, we broke through the trees into a little clearing where a pile of leaves were burning fast. Yes, this was the cause of the smoke...but where was the tribute supervising this? Who made this?

Before we could comprehend what was going on, a loud explosion sounded and the ground shook slightly. My eyes widened, and I caught an enraged look on Cato's face. We took off running, except Marvel, who looked determined to find whoever did this.

Black smoke cleared away as we got back to the charred remains of our camp. Nothing seemed to have made it through the explosion. Of course, the whole thing was a set up. And I had a sneaking suspicion of who exactly was behind it.

Cato was clearly agitated by the whole turn of events. No, "agitated" was an understatement. He was going insane. His face was red and his clear blue eyes had this wild look about them. Pulling his hair crazily, he began mumbling incoherent things. All of a sudden, he stopped. Just like that.

Slowly, he looked up and turned his attention toward the boy from District Three, and I knew. That kid had about...oh, twenty more seconds of life left? Maybe thirty.

"What the heck happened?" Cato growled, pulling District Three up by his shirt collar.

"I-I don't know!" the boy stammered.

A loud crack sounded and seemed to echo through the clearing. Cato had snapped the boy's neck, and he had fallen to the ground. Dead. Not even five seconds later, a cannon shot off, signalling the death of the boy from District Three.

I had to replay the whole situation in my mind to keep up. Honestly, I was slightly afraid Cato might take his anger out on me next. What was stopping him? Yes, I was completely confident with my own talents, however, an angry, muscular, teenage boy could probably do a lot more damage and a slightly-afraid, short, teenage girl with knives.

Deciding to leave him alone, I turned and walked away to go sit under a tree.

"Where do you think you're going?" he barked before I could leave.

"I'm going to let you cool off before you decide to go on a war path and murder everyone, " I replied coolly, raising an eyebrow.

Yes, I was scared of him at the moment. However, he couldn't know that.

"No, you're going to stay here and try to find some useful things, " he retorted.

I turned back toward him. "Excuse me? Do it yourself, blondie. I'm not your slave."

He was getting more angry by the minute, but then again, I also felt myself getting a bit frustrated. Who died and made him king? He was not the boss of me, nor would he ever be. Did he not realize that there were other things at stake here? Obviously, nothing useful could have survived that explosion. We'd have to find other means of food and water. Idiot.

In two big strides, he crossed the space between us and was now cowering over me. I pressed my lips into a thin line and glowered at him, determined to keep my confidence high and my fear low.

"Say that again?" he demanded in a low, threatening voice.

"What are you, deaf?" I scoffed, laughing slightly at my own humor.

Before I knew what was happening, I was on the ground and my right shoulder was now throbbing. Glaring up at Cato, I resisted the urge to use some very cruel choice words to describe him. "What's wrong with you?!" I exclaimed, pushing myself off of the ground.

Without replying, he merely scowled at me and stalked off to the other side of the clearing, near the treeline. Okay, okay. Two can play at this game, blondie.

Walking toward the other side of the clearing, I tried to calm myself down. If I wanted to make it, I'd have to suck up to Cato, no doubt. He and I would be the last ones in the arena, obviously. Then...who knows what would happen. I sat down against one of the trees and stared at him, sitting on the other side. The cornucopia was in between us, like a dividing line.

Not even a few minutes later, another cannot sounded, making me jump. And a minute after that one, another. I smirked. Maybe Katpee and Lover Boy decided to pull a Romeo and Juliet, yeah? Obviously though, that was definitely not the case. A girl can dream.

Sneaking a quick glance at Cato, I noticed that he, too, looked slightly uneasy at the cannons. Certainly there wasn't a bigger threat than us, right? Although, Marvel hadn't been back in a while. If that idiot killed District Twelve without us - I mean me, who cares about Cato - I swear...

The sky was turning a soft pink color, signalling the end of yet another day. They would show the fallen tributes any moment now, and I was eager to see who had died.

As if on cue, well, it was on cue...but you get the point, the Capitol's anthem began playing and the face of Marvel illuminated the sky. Marvel. Had. Died. Honestly, I wasn't sad. A bit disappointed, that's for sure. When Cato was in one of his moods (like now...) I'd talk to him to entertain me. It was slightly shocking that he'd gone so soon, but no more shocking than Glimmer's pathetic death. I could only hope that he'd gone out with a bit more honor than she had.

Next, unsurprisingly, came the boy from District Three. I didn't care at all, obviously. About ten seconds passed before the face of the little girl from District Eleven popped up. What was her name again...Ruth...? No, Rue.

Marvel had killed her, I deducted. Huh. It wasn't a glamorous kill, but, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who killed Marvel. My upper lip curled at the thought of that stupid Girl on Fire killing one of my allies, when I looked up and saw something almost horrifying.

Cato was striding across the grass toward me.

Author's note: It's a bit short, yeah? I'm sorry. I need a filler before I can get to the better stuff, y'know? Please comment whether you want Cato to die, Clove to die, or if you want them BOTH to win! I would really appreciate your input! Thanks guys!

ALSO!

Happy belated Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas in advance!

I hope you all have wonderful holidays no matter what you're celebrating. God bless.